Whereas the ballast is arranged at the rear part of the superstructure during the operation of the crane, it is removed from the superstructure on the transporting journey of the mobile crane and placed on the undercarriage or on a separate transport vehicle to take account of the axle loads of the undercarriage. A number of devices for the reception of the ballast are already known. As a rule, they have hydraulic cylinder arrangements arranged at right angles to the superstructure which can be connected to the respective ballast packages or ballast pallets to lift them onto the superstructure.
It is the object of the present disclosure to provide a mobile crane in which the device for the reception of the ballast can be integrated into the superstructure of the mobile crane in as space-saving a manner as possible.
This object is solved in accordance with the present disclosure by a mobile crane comprising an undercarriage and a superstructure arranged in a revolving manner thereon with a device for the reception of ballast, where the device for the reception of ballast includes at least three pulling means which can be moved up and down vertically and which can be connected to a pallet or base plate carrying the ballast and located beneath the total center of gravity of the ballast to pull the pallet or base plate toward the superstructure and to connect it to it or to let it down from it. The ballast placed on a pallet or base plate can be taken up securely and moved on and off by means of these pulling means even with a high center of gravity, with it being of particular advantage here that the ballast can also be picked up off the floor.
Various additional features may also be included. Lugs can be arranged at the superstructure with which the pallet can be bolted for fastening to the superstructure. If therefore the ballast is pulled up to the superstructure via the balancers, the lugs lie in corresponding cut-outs of the pallet carrying the ballast and can then be bolted there via suitable bolts.
In accordance with a further preferred aspect of the present disclosure, the pulling means can extend horizontally in the revolving deck of the superstructure and can be sheared in a multiple manner. Due to the multiple shearing, for example a dual shearing, double the lifting movement of the ballast can be carried out with a corresponding movement of the pulling means in the longitudinal direction of the superstructure.
Chains or ropes can be used as pulling means in accordance with the present disclosure.
When ropes are used, they can be broken down, for example, into eight flat ropes which in turn consist of five individual ropes. This has the advantage that the rope pulleys can be made very small with respect to their diameter ratio (D/d ratio) so that the pulley blocks can be arranged in the relatively low available construction height of the revolving deck of the superstructure.
At least one hydraulic cylinder can be arranged horizontally or slightly inclined in the revolving deck of the superstructure in order to move the pulling means up and down by extension or contraction. It is ensured by this horizontal or slightly inclined installation in the revolving deck of the superstructure that the revolving deck does not have a high construction.
A respective hydraulic cylinder with the associated ropes, the pulley blocks and the balancers preferably form an assembly which can be inserted into the revolving deck for installation and can be bolted thereto. In an embodiment having four balancers, two assemblies are typically provided which can each be installed laterally between two side walls in the revolving deck.